# How Do You Straighten Your Hair?



## CellyCell (Jun 6, 2008)

I'm writing this as I'm straightening my hair - which I really dread.

So, what do you do and use ... do you straighten it while dry or still a bit wet? How long does it usually take you?

List your products (if you remember) and your specific hair type/length.

Are you satisfied with the ending results?

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I use a mixture of different products because just ONE never worked for me.

Right now I'm using:

Paul Mitchell - Super Skinny Serum

A tiny bit of Softee - Herbal Oirl

Nexxus - Heat Protexx Spray

I straighten it with my Con-Air round blow dryer and a lame Remington straightner. All while my hair is a bit damp and air drying. Takes me about an hour if I'm rushing or 2 hours if I'm reallly lazy and stopping for breaks.

I have a bit coarse/tight curly hair - very thick and a below my shoulders.

And my end results are decent but never last due to humidity - which I hate with a passion. By the end of the day, it looks like crap. I think it's due to the styling tools I have.


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## Orangeeyecrayon (Jun 6, 2008)

I have fine thin hair that is what i would call a tight wave. more than a wave but not quite a curl, (the pieces that do curl just go into the big bannanna curls or look like i did them with a hot iron)

i also use more than one product cause even with my super easy hair one product just does not cut it.

Bed head leave in conditioner

Got-2-Be heat protectant shield

those both go on my hair wet than i blow dry or let it air dry, and than once completely dry (or if i am air drying when my roots are still just barely damp)

after i put in either smoothing milk by garnier frutice if i am going for a sleek look or johnothan product dirt for when i want more volume


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## Lemae (Jun 6, 2008)

A little pre-face:

I dont do much of anything with my hair often. My mom is visibly losing her hair, my sister's hair is an overcolored extremely dried out and stringy mess. I decided to just leave my hair be for the mostpart. So when I style it, its few and far between.

My friend got me a straightener for xmas after I got my hair cut and styled with a straightener that left a bit or a curve at the end. I loved how shiny it looked (altho my hair has always been shiny) and I wanted to try it myself.

I have only done it once though...it takes waaaay too long and Im for the mostpart a get-up-and-go girl LOL

I did it with clean air dried hair, took a section at a time from back to front bottom up.

No product.

It was shiny and it was straight but maybe a bit too straight for me




I never liked the hair plastered to the head look myself and I could NEVER do the deliberate ratting of the hair to get body (sorry if that sounds bad haha I dont know the terminology for it.

I have average hair I guess...its not thick or thin but it is healthy &amp; uncolored.


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## La_Mari (Jun 6, 2008)

I know you're probably not looking for my response, cause our hair texture is diff.

I have thick (used to be 4x's thicker, but it comes out sometimes, not in a bad way), coarse and kina wavy (the ugly waves), like La India Maria if you get what I mean.

I don't do anything actually, I just shampoo and condtion, blowdry as straight as I can w/ my brush, I use a smaller one so I can handle it better. And then I use a hair straightner I have from Remington. Some of it in the back of my head will stay a little wavy, but I can deal w/ it. I don't really care,


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## Ashley (Jun 6, 2008)

Sometimes my hair just dries straight if I allow it to air dry after combing.

Other times, there's a slight wave in it, so I just run it through a straightening iron very quickly. I only do this when it is completely dry. Takes like, 5 minutes.

But I prefer to curl my hair, and that takes 20. Curly-haired girls want straight hair, and straight-haired girls want curls! Or at least I do.


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## TracyRoa (Jun 6, 2008)

My hair is short, thin, and wavy. If I let my hair dry naturally, I use a thermal spray (either V05 Heat Defense Conditioning Spray or Sunsilk Therma Shine Detangling Shine Spray) and straighten my hair with my Sedu flat iron. If my hair is wet, I blow dry before I flat iron.


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## Retro-Violet (Jun 6, 2008)

-shower

-aveda's: Hang Straight Straightening Lotion, BrilliantTM Damage Control, Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother

-leave hair as is and go to sleep (i take a shower at night so i can let my hair air dry and sleep longer in the morning)

-wake up, and style hair with hair straightener

-put on paul mitchell's gloss drops on bottom half of hair to make it shiney and get rid of last of frizz, and vs's so sexy high def. illuminating pomade (teeny tiny bit) on top of hair to prevent humudity from killing it.


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## GlossyAbby (Jun 6, 2008)

I have thick naturally curly hair....When its still wet i put its a 10 in my hiar then I use pureology straightening serum...then I blow dry it some and either straighten it partially wet or let it air dry and use my T3 straightener .....I finish off with some shine gloss...I hate straightening my hair its such a pain but I love the look of it straight.....

I should add I have the t3 wet to dry so i can straighten it wet nad it doesn't burn my hair


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## Bec688 (Jun 6, 2008)

Products:

Vita 5 CPR phase 1: smoothing frizz control (leave in moisturiser &amp; solar protection)

Vita 5 CPR silky fx phase 2: smoothing and controlling serum

CHI volume booster

CHI pliable polish.

GHD hair styler (straightener)

My hair is quite fine, but there's lots of it, it's naturally straight, but I just love the way that your hair looks when it's been straightened, it makes you look more "polished". I'd say that it takes me about..15 minutes.

If I have the time, I'll wash my hair first and then apply both the CPR products to my damp hair. Then I would spray my roots with the CHI volume booster (so my hair doesn't sit completely flat when it's straight, gotta have a bit of volume!) and blow dry, THEN straighten my hair using my GHD, then apply the CHI pliable gloss.

If my hair is already dry, then I'll just spray my hair with a heat protection spray and then straighten away, or sometimes if I don't feel like going through that whole process I just explained, then I will skip the hair straightener part and just blowdry it straight with a round brush.


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## magneticheart (Jun 6, 2008)

I straighten my hair when it's completley dried (a friend of mine straightened her hair when it was damp and ended up scorching her hair)

I don't tend to use product every time I wash my hair because I find that most straightening products make my hair a bit greasy so I only use them every now and then (maybe once or twice a week)

I use: Loreal Paris Studio Line Heat-activated Straightening Cream

Elvive Anti-Frizz Serum (you only need a tiny bit and it makes my hair a lot smoother and easier to straighten!)

Mark Hill Chocolate Expresso Straightening Balm (it's technically for brown hair and when I bought it I had brown hair. Now that I have red hair I still use it occassionally and it doesn't do anything to my color.)


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## taojonz (Jun 6, 2008)

the key to straightening is the amazing GHD tool. It is amazing. I didn't want to spend the $$$$..but NEVER has my hair been so perfectly straight and glossy. Check it out!


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## Adrienne (Jun 6, 2008)

To get it really straight i actually air dry mine and then i run a hair straightner through it. I put some serum on afterwards but i don't do this often as i hardly ever put my hair down


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## Dragonfly (Jun 6, 2008)

I have shoulder length, curly-wavy damaged hair.

The best thing I ever did was had layers cut into the bottom 3 inches of my length.

Now when I straighten my hair, I don't have that poufy triangle look anymore.

Right after I wash and condition - I use Pantene moisture products, I smosh in a good drop of got2b glossy serum, then comb through.

I blow dry my bangs straight, but let the rest of my hair air dry.

Then I flat iron using got2b flat iron lotion.

Not that the summer and humidity is approaching, I'll forgo the flat ironing and wear my hair in a braid or ponytail.

But I will always blowdry the bangs straight!


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## Johnnie (Jun 6, 2008)

Lately, I just section it off and blow dry until completely dry and then I'll straighten it. Of course, using a ceramic iron.


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## bCreative (Jun 6, 2008)

I straighten my hair with a flat iron sometimes when it's dry and sometimes when it's damp.

Usually takes me a good 45 min to an hour to do it correctly. 30 min when i don't give a crap.

The end results in my opinion look kinda crappy! LOL


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## puncturedskirt (Jun 6, 2008)

Originally Posted by *Ashley* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sometimes my hair just dries straight if I allow it to air dry after combing.Other times, there's a slight wave in it, so I just run it through a straightening iron very quickly. I only do this when it is completely dry. Takes like, 5 minutes.

Same for me, I always air dry my hair though.


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## andrea0611 (Jun 7, 2008)

My hair is very long- past my elbows, slightly wavy and thick. My shampoo and conditioner are Redken All Soft (and occasionally their deep conditioner Heavy Cream), I do not use a leave in, maybe some Frizz Ease while my hair is wet. I try not to blowdry it because it takes FOREVER... But, when I do I use a Super Solano.

I like my hair to airdry overnight and then in the morning I use my CHI 2" flatiron. It was like $180 but is much less damaging that other irons I have used. My hair always looks shiny and stays straight. I try to have my hair completely dry, but truthfully sometimes it is still damp when I straighten it! BTW my hair has never been colortreated...


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## daer0n (Jun 7, 2008)

I just use a regular hair brush and my flat iron, and nothing else, it works great and it leaves my hair super straight for a week, that if i dont wash my hair of course.

It takes me 15 mins if my hair is wet, and about 8 mins when its dry.

And i love the results, i occasionally use Sunsilk Straighten Up 24/7 Heat Defense Cream, only rarely though, i don't really use it very much at all, maybe once a month.


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## demanda (Jun 7, 2008)

If I know I'm gonna wear my hair completely straight, I use Pantene Smooth and Sleek shampoo and conditioner beforehand. Then, I towel dry, blow dry, and then when it's about 90% dry I use my sedu. Some days I use a little frizz-ease serum to smooth things down, especially in the summer.

My hair is medium thickness and naturally wavy.


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## rita45 (Jun 10, 2008)

I follow few methods to straighten my medium size hair.

1) Use lemon juice before washing hair.

2) Apply Sunsilk shampoo for fragrance, shiny and dry hair

3) Use curly comb and hair dryer in order to straigten the hair.


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## Sreyomac (Jun 10, 2008)

i use Paul Mitchell shampoo and condtioner... which i am fed up with, going to change when it runs out.... then i apply some Paul Mitchell smoothing serum... that i do like. blow dry with a round brush until completely dry. Flat iron with the my chi after using Designline flatiron spray.

It takes me about 30 min. even with the chi 'cause my hair is a little on the thicker side and a little more than just wavy. If i was to "gel" it up it easily turns into curl.


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## Snickerbug (Jun 11, 2008)

My hair is pixie cut right now, plus it's naturally straight, so I never straighten it anymore.

However, when I had longer hair I did it on a regular basis, almost everyday. I treated my hair horribly, though D: I would put leave in conditioner in while it was dry. I think it was called Ego Boost and it was by Bedhead. Then I'd run the straightener through it once so it was pretty straight. Then I'd spray it with Bedhead's hairspray and run the straightener through again and brush it. It stayed straight for me all day, but that may be because it's naturally straight


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## emilyc (Jun 19, 2008)

yes, straightening curly hair is a pain. my hair is long, thick and curly/wavy but i like it straight. shampoo and condition with dove. detangle with a wide tooth comb. kerastase lait nutri-sculpt before blow drying with round brush. then, straighten in sections with a T3 straightener. then finish with oscar blandi olio di jasmine. about 30 to 45 mins.


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## mandatron (Jun 25, 2008)

i have naturally curly hair, insanely frizzy after going from black to platinum in less then a week last October, quite thick, just past my shoulders, all i do is put in my leave in conditioner(i use the garnier fructis long&amp;strong line), blow dry, and straighten it in 3 sections, each section i spray some CHI Iron Guard, and hit it with the blow dryer a bit then straighten. takes me about 10-15 min.

i use a 1.5" Chi flat iron, its AMAZING. i got the pink limited edition one



cute AND practical!

with my old tools my hair frizzed in under an hour in the humidity, but i can do all day now without seeing one fly away.

and i dont use any special straightening shampoos or serums or gel's or mouses.


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## cheller (Jun 25, 2008)

i have an asymetrical bob. i like to flip the longest piece of hair out while turning the rest of it SLIGHTLY inward [almost straight though]. naturally my hair is wavy so when its short it does its own crazy thing. but i take sections of it at a time &amp; i style it to my liking. i dont use any products other than treating it at least once a week with a deep conditioner or homeremedies to keep damage at bay. but i use a Conair straightener.


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## chienkiri (Jun 27, 2008)

i use biopoint,collinstar and nivea product but i think this link will be useful even if is in italian because on the slide you can notice all of the product for a straight and ultra shining look

Sul red carpet non solo chignon

if there something you can't understand by the simple images i can translate, not in a excellent way but it's the same xD

this is fabulous

http://www.style.it/interactive/img/lucidante-spray.jpg


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## Ray of sunshine (Jun 28, 2008)

1. Shower

2. Leave in Conditioner [long term relationship by herbal essence]

3. Dry [ I like to let it air dry]

4. Separate into sections.

5. Use Robert Craig's Spray Shine on each section

6. Using a CHI flat iron, straighten each section, chasing the straightener with a fine toothed comb.

And Taa Daa. Straight Hair.

First picture is my natural hair.

Second is straight!

Attachment 40934

Attachment 40935


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## Shelley (Jun 29, 2008)

My hair is fine to medium and shoulder length. I have natural wave, slight curl so in the summer I don't bother to straighten it.

My steps to straightening my hair..

Redken shampoo for color treated hair and AG conditioner.

Joico JoiLotion applied to damp hair and combed through.

Blowdry my hair.

I divide my hair and spray each section with Alberto Vo5 heat defense spray, use flat iron.

I apply a tiny amount of Dove Frizz Control Therapy Cream to help control any frizzies or flyaways.


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## jessiej78 (Jun 29, 2008)

I usually let my hair air dyr, rarely do I blow dry it. I use Vo5 leave in conditioner which also protects from heat damage. Then once it's dry I just run my Revlon ceramic flat iron though it. My hair is very fine and wavy and straightnes easily. It takes less than 10 or 15 minutes total.


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## sandithepirate (Jul 3, 2008)

First, I use a whole array of different hair products to protect it, and prevent frizzing (Texas is too humid!). The products include many from the Sleek and Shine line from Fructis, but I also LOVE Matrix Sleek.Look - it's just really expensive!

Then, I use a Revo-Styler to blowdry it. If you have never used one, DO IT! It is SOOO worth the money! I bought mine well over 5 years ago, and it still works beautifully! It makes blowdrying a snap, and it prevents blow-dry frizz!

Then I use a ceramic flat iron on small sections at a time.





I usually won't wash my hair the next day after I straighten it, just so I can regain some natural oils - sleeping on it helps keep it straight too! Bonus!


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